The top 10 markets in the world for textile and apparel constitute for 48 per cent of India’s total textile and apparel exports. The current global apparel market is worth $1.7 trillion and it constitutes around 2 per cent of the world’s GDP. The European Union, USA and China are the world’s largest apparel markets with a combined share of approximately 54 per cent.

The Indian textile and apparel industry was estimated to be worth Rs 6,25,930 crore in 2015 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9 per cent to reach Rs 9,35,123 crore, by 2020. Of the total market size domestic consumption accounts for approximately 60 per cent and exports accounts for the rest approximately 40 per cent. The domestic market is expected to show higher CAGR of 10 per cent in comparison to exports, which is expected to grow at CAGR of 6 per cent over next five years.

The new combing set achieves the greatest productivity worldwide. The technology advantage of Rieter combing is based on the optimal interaction between machine and technology components, avers Yvan Schwartz. Confirmation of this strength, not only in the laboratory but especially under real production conditions with different cotton types, is Rieter’s guarantee for the customers success. The technological resp. qualitative and economical benefits are illustrated as follows.

COTTON USA promoted US cotton and offered sourcing support to the fashion industry supply chain at its exhibit at Texworld in Paris from February 6-9, 2017. COTTON USA provided visitors with comprehensive background information on responsibly-produced US cotton, global cotton market developments, the findings of current market and consumer studies, and its ongoing licensing, marketing and sourcing programmes.

The top 10 markets in the world for textile and apparel constitute for 48 per cent of India’s total textile and apparel exports. The current global apparel market is worth $1.7 trillion and it constitutes around 2 per cent of the world’s GDP. The European Union, USA and China are the world’s largest apparel markets with a combined share of approximately 54 per cent.

India has great textile tradition dating back to centuries with stories of the famous ‘Dacca muslin’ getting around the world in older times. India’s textile sector is one of the oldest also dating back to centuries. Today also the textile sector is one of the largest contributors to India’s exports. After the agriculture sector it is the second largest employer giving employment to nearly 45 million people. It contributes to nearly 14 per cent of the industrial production and 4 per cent share of the GDP of the country. These figures are enough to highlight the importance of this sector to the nation.

A chartered accountant by profession, Darshan Mehta, President of Reliance Brands, entered the fashion industry by chance. He joined the Lalbhai Group in 1984 as CEO and stayed with the Group for next 23 years, donning several hats across diverse businesses including CEO of Arvind Brands and others. In 2007, he set up Reliance Brands Ltd. RBL today has partnered with many international brands in the premium and luxury fashion and lifestyle space for the Indian market.

Despite India being cotton surplus, the industry is still struggling, opines Sanjay Jain, NITMA President & Deputy Chairman, NITRA. Cotton-based textiles has been the main stay of Indian textiles over decades. India is one of the few nations where textiles is still skewed in favour of cotton (60 per cent) as against the world where man made has a 60 per cent share while cotton is sub 40 per cent. One of the major reasons for this is our large cotton crop grown across 10 states.

The Indian textile and clothing industry is very old and plays a very important part in the Indian economy. Except China, no other nation can match the size, spread, depth and competitiveness of the Indian textile and clothing industry. Liberalisation also has given the much-needed push to the textile industry, which has now successfully become one of the largest in the world. It has a complete value chain from the production of raw materials to the manufacture of finished goods.